The Good Heart

The Good Heart

Isaac Martin

 

 Luke 8: 4-15
 

⁴ One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: ⁵ “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. ⁶ Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” ⁹ His disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see.     When they hear, they won’t understand.’ ¹¹ “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. ¹² The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. ¹³ The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. ¹⁴ The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. ¹⁵ And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.    

 

The Footpath

 

 Luke 8: 5,12

 

“It was stepped on and the birds ate it…  The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.” 

 

The goal of parables is to make a clear point and call for a decision. 

-Brad Young

 

“The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience.  If a man wants scientific knowledge, then intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can only get it by obedience. If things are dark to me, then I may be sure there is something I will not do.  Intellectual darkness comes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comes because of something I do not intend to obey.” 

- Oswald Chambers, July 27^th , My Utmost for His Highest

 

Am I ready and willing to respond in to obedience to God’s Word?

 

The Rocks

 

Luke 8:6,13

 

“The plant wilted and died for lack of moisture… The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they do not have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.”   

 

James 1:2

 

 “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds.” (NIV)

 

Hebrews 12:7

 

“Endure hardship as discipline [from a loving father].” (NIV)

                 

John 16:33

 

“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.”

 

Am I willing to let God challenge my thinking and take me deeper?

 

The Thorns

 

 Luke 8:7,14

 

“.. grew up and choked out the tender plants… The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.” 

 

1 John 2:15-17

 

“¹⁵ Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. ¹⁶ For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. ¹⁷ And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

 

James 4:4

 

“⁴ You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”

 

Am I willing to resist the world’s offer of comfort and control to be obedient?

 

The Fertile Soil

 

Luke 8:8,15

             

“This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted! … And the seeds that fell on good soil represent honest, good hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.”